Towards a gender-balanced Early Childhood Care and Education workforce |16 August 2023

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) sector has been predominantly led by women globally. According to the Unesco Institute for Statistics, 94 percent of pre-primary teachers globally are female. Seychelles is no exception. Statistics from specifically the home-based childcare services indicate a 98:2 ratio for number of women to male childminders. This number is higher in the childcare assistants’ ratio; however, the prevalence is clear.

There is however a glimmer of hope. In the last two months only, the Institute for Early Childhood Development (IECD) has registered two male childminders who look after 11 children in total. Gabriel Victor, a social worker by profession, offers his services in the district of St Louis.

He successfully concluded the Pre-Registration and Sensitisation Training on National Standards for Childminding Services and training in basic pediatric First Aid in June 2022.

Mr Victor had this to say about his entry into the child care service: “I want to see a shift in the home-based childcare service as women are dominating this field. I want to change this trend and bring the presence of a father figure to make a difference in the lives and development of young children, and especially help create more positive role models for boys.”

For his part, Brian Cupidon, who is not new to the business, having supported and assisted his wife with running her child care service previously, runs his own facility in the Beau Vallon district now. He completed the Pre-registration Sensitisation and Training Programme in November 2017.

Mr Cupidon has also attended training in basic pediatric First Aid. His comeback to the field is driven by his wish to take care of children as his own.

“I missed taking care of children, so I have now decided to open and run the service”.

Nathalie Moustache, the director for Regulatory Affairs at IECD, explains that the registration of the two male childminders is proof of the work being done by the institute to encourage more gender balance in the home-based service delivery and the ECCE sector workforce in general.

“The number may appear small, but we celebrate small victories as such an achievement in our small island goes a long way in making a difference in the lives of our young children,” Ms Moustache said.

Contributed